The stupidest things that happened in the MCU (2012-2018)

The MCU started in 2008. iron manAnd it has continued to evolve over the years. While recent films and shows have underperformed both critically and commercially in 2025, by 2026 Spider-Man: Brand New Day July and Avengers: Doomday In December. But before you embark on a journey into the latest phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, why not take a trip down memory lane?

Even though the most serious MCU has had its fair share of lighter moments, some concepts and scenes have been downright ridiculous. Below, we'll outline some of the funniest things that happened in the Marvel Cinematic Universe between 2012 and 2012. avengers And in 2018 Avengers: Infinity War It can make you feel nostalgic and look back on how far the MCU has come.

Mandarin is a double fake-out

Neither Aldrich Killian nor Trevor Slattery are real Mandarins

• Featured: iron man 3 (2013)

The Mandarin has been known as Iron Man's archenemy for decades, so it's shocking that Tony Stark has never faced his greatest nemesis. Until then iron man 3. Or was it? iron man 3 They brought back the Mandarin and even had the legendary Ben Kingsley take on the role. However, this was played for laughs and Kingsley's character was just actor Trevor Slattery pretending to be the Mandarin.

In reality, it was Aldrich Killian's Guy Pearce character, the Mandarin, but even then it was a double fake-out. Killian didn't act like the Mandarin. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) The real Mandarin would reveal himself as Tony Leung Chiu-wai's Xy Wenwu, years after Iron Man's death. It's pretty funny that Iron Man has gotten an entire trilogy and four Avengers movies and still hasn't met his greatest enemy.

A talking raccoon and tree become central figures in saving the galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy proves just how weird the MCU can be.

• Featured: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

later avengers (2012), the MCU took a break from the adventures of Earth and Earth's Mightiest Heroes and traveled across the stars for a galaxy-spanning adventure. With 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, fans were introduced to a new team of ragtag criminals turned reluctant heroes, along with Star-Lord, Gamora, and Drax. And… a talking tree and a talking raccoon?

Guardians of the Galaxy I was impressed with how the characters of Groot and Rocket Raccoon worked so well. It's absurd to think that the MCU's central characters are a literal tree and a raccoon, but that's the beauty of it all. It's ridiculous, ambitious, and it's a lot of fun to see Guardians of the Galaxy on the big screen.

Captain America may lift Thor's hammer, but he doesn't want to hurt Thor's pride.

Steve Rogers is worthy but decided not to do anything about it? unlikely

• Featured: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Avengers: Age of Ultron The game provides players with some fun scenes as the Avengers bond over drinks and games, and in one game, each Avengers takes turns attempting to lift Thor's hammer. But no one can lift Thor's hammer, even Thor himself proudly boasts. That means we only see it through Thor's concerned gaze as Steve Rogers lifts it with all his might and Mjolnir gives it a little nudge. The fact that Steve is on a worthy path shows his character development and gives him a worthy moment where he finally lifts Mjolnir. Avengers: Endgame (2019).

However, Avengers: Endgame directors the Russo brothers said their standard was that Steve was always worthy of Mjolnir and never lifted the hammer so as not to hurt Thor's pride. However, Steve uses a lot of force to nudge it away instead of easily lifting it, so it would be a bit comical to see so many opportunities arise where Thor's hammer is needed but he decides to ignore it for the sake of his ego.

The Avengers are destroyed by the Sokovia Accords.

Waiting for the UN to approve Avengers-level action is how the Sokovia incident happens.

• Featured: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

The Sokovia Accords were drafted by 117 countries to ensure that the Avengers were no longer a civilian organization, but instead operated under United Nations-approved oversight and direction. This essentially built on the Avengers, allowing action to only be taken if it was voted absolutely necessary. However, this agreement will have ramifications throughout the superhero community, forever dividing the Avengers for the obvious reasons that made the agreement so ridiculous.

The Accords were a response to the destruction of Sokovia caused by Ultron, and the Avengers took action to prevent life on Earth from becoming extinct. If the Avengers had waited for politics and voting to do their thing, Ultron could have easily gotten away with it. The Sokovia Accords were absurd, halting the Avengers' progress, and splitting the team by causing the end of the Avengers, causing Captain America to become an outlaw, and splitting the group when Thanos arrived on Earth.

Mistakes in ‘8 Years Later’

Spider-Man: Homecoming creates a major flaw in the MCU timeline.

• Featured: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

opening Spider-Man: Homecoming It shows the devastation after the Battle of New York. avengers (2012). The scene featuring the Vulture isn't as memorable as the time jump sequence that explains the jump from The Avengers to “eight years later.” Spider-Man: Homecoming. But this is an outrageous mistake that barely slips through the cracks. Spider-Man: Homecoming It will be held in 2018, not 2016. Captain America: Civil War (2016).

This was a mistake behind the scenes, but it's still clear and intact on the silver screen (and Disney Plus). This may leave some super fans scratching their heads as they try to decipher the MCU's ever-expanding canonical timeline. If the 8 year time jump is to be believed, Spider-Man: Homecoming happens after Avengers: Infinity War But before Avengers: EndgameIt doesn't make any sense at all.

Shrinking to the size of an ant makes multiverse travel possible

Gong Subatomic Invades Time and Space on a Multiverse Scale

• Featured: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Ant-Man has the ingenious power of being able to shrink down to the atomic level thanks to the Pym Particles. But being much smaller than an ant has the unique property of being able to get lost in a quantum realm that exists outside of time and space itself. You might consider the risk of being scaled down to the tiniest bit, but you might also consider the potential, as it's the key to unlocking literal time travel and multiverse dimension hopping.

If you zoom out too much, it's a rather comical and cool concept that we're given a gateway to time travel and jump dimensions to create branching timelines based on the various outcomes of the divine timeline. Time travel and multiverse concepts are always tricky to navigate, but at least doing so when scaled down small enough is different from a standard time machine.

Asgard's Infinity Gauntlet turns out to be fake

Thanos wastes time in Asgard with fake artifacts

• Featured: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

2011 thor A very interesting Easter egg was presented in that the Infinity Gauntlet, complete with Infinity Stones, could be seen in the background of the Asgardian vault. This epic installment of the Infinity Saga will return once again in 2015. Avengers: Age of UltronIn the mid-credits scene, there is a scene where Thanos wears the Infinity Gauntlet without the Infinity Stones… How was Thanos able to enter Asgard? It doesn't matter and it's not explained on screen.

What is explained is that the Infinity Gauntlet is actually fake and Hela Thor: Ragnarok (2017). The fact that Odin and Asgard protected the fake Infinity Gauntlet is pretty ridiculous, but it helps explain Thanos' quest to find the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Infinity War. It's a fun Easter egg that pays off, and it's funny in all the right ways.